By Sam Trailerman
JSK: Janaki v/s State of Kerala is a 2025 Indian Malayalam language legal thriller written and directed by Pravin Narayanan. It stars Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran.
Produced by J. Phanindra Kumar, it is under the banner of Cosmos Entertainments, with Sethuraman Nair Kankol as co-producer.
The Internet was buzzing with numerous comments on the name Janaki days before the release of Janaki Vs State of Kerala. The makers found it so challenging to obtain clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), mainly due to the board objection to the film’s original title.
CBFC objected to the film’s original title as it cited the name Janaki as to be associated with the Hindu Goddess Sita. The censor board felt it would be inappropriate to use such an honourable name to represent a fictional character who goes through sexual assault and gruelling legal proceedings.
Although the name Janaki in the film referred to ‘Janaki Vidyadharan’, a survivor fighting for justice, the CBFC raised concerns that it could be interpreted as an indirect reference to the divine figure and offend religious sentiments. As a result, the film, originally scheduled for a release on June 27, 2025, hit a roadblock, and the matter was taken to the Kerala High Court.
According to several reports, the CBFC’s Mumbai division initially demanded a total of 92 changes to the film, including scenes and dialogues. However, when the case reached the Kerala High Court, things took an unprecedented turn.
The censor board’s legal counsel revealed that they had eventually agreed to clear the film with just two modifications.
After weeks of courtroom drama and ambiguity regarding the release, the Kerala High Court finally gave its nod to Cosmos Entertainments to release the modified version of the film.
The highly anticipated film finally hit the screens on July 17, 2025 in four languages, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu.
The Plot
Janaki Vidhyadharan, an IT professional from Bengaluru, whose visit to her hometown for a festival turns into a nightmare when she becomes a victim of sexual assault. As she seeks justice, the case takes a complex turn when David Abel Donovan, (Suresh Gopi) a sharp and composed lawyer, steps in to defend the accused.
Caught in the crossfire between legal arguments and living a traumatic life, Janaki’s fight exposes the deep moral and ethical dilemmas of the Indian judicial system. In a world where the law is supposed to protect, the lines between right and wrong begins to blur leaving us to ask: What really happened to Janaki, and what does justice truly mean?
Kudos to the director and script writer as the story is not a stolen pictures of other movies. The punchy dialogues delivered by Suresh Gopi were amazing and superb, especially in the final climax of the courtroom scene.
Anupama Parameswaran as Janaki was good in her acting even though with little dialogue. The brief appearance of Shruti Ramachandran as advocate Niveditha Able portrays her emotive feelings as a pregnant mother.
The cinematography stands out with its well-composed frames and effective use of lighting to set the tone. The background score elevates the emotional and intense moments without overpowering the scenes.
The courtroom scenes are particularly well-crafted, both in performance and technical execution. Production design and costumes are grounded and realistic, adding authenticity to the setting.
The dual ratings of 7.1/10 from a wider audience and a perfect 10/10 from a smaller group of users indicates Janaki Vs State Of Kerala might may be polarizing but is highly appreciated by some viewers.
The long runtime of 2 hours and 34 minutes suggests a detailed and complex storyline.
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